Sunday Morning Footie (II)

Downhill slope, wind blowing across but down the hill too, made for a game of two halves....

Another early start and an away trip to a team we had a close fought battle with at the start of the season. Some of the boys had a problem finding the venue, so preparations were put under a lot of pressure from the start. With the lads kicking uphill and against the wind in the first half, keeping the score down in the first half was important, especially knowing how keenly matched these two teams were.

The opposition started off the better today, the slope and wind being a major factor. A couple of really tidy finishes from their boys meant that we headed into the break with the familiar scoreline of Three One down. The battering we took in the first half seemed to have knocked some of the stuffing out of our lads and their confidence in their abilities had vanished from sight. However the gusting wind and superb kicking from our keeper forced our lads to come out of their shell.

Suddenly we looked like the team we all know we can be. Attack followed attack and surely it would only be a matter of time. Three Two came in due course, then a post and bar got smacked. Should have been Four Three to the boys, but that is your luck in this game some times.

From their only attack of the second half, the opposition finished off their counter very well. Four Two down and a mountian to climb.

Then, an unsual thing happened away from home. A very soft penalty. But there was nothing soft about our finish. Top right corner, an adult keeper would not have got to it. Four Three, surely with all this possession and domination, we should win?

Not to be, despite all the best efforts of the team. On another day, we could have had Six, just not today. Overall though the boys showed great effort, and real determination not to lose. But lose they did and I am sure that with another game under their belts, with another session on Friday, they will improve and get back to their unbeaten run that was going so well before the weather came and messed things up. Although it was a hard fought loss today, one thing stood out a mile, not a single Rainham 84 head dropped. They gave their all and in truth battered the opposition for the entire second half. Onwards and upwards.....